An explosion of flavor in one pan, this delicious Seafood Pasta with Garlic and White Wine Sauce recipe is perfect for pasta dinners all year round. The light, fresh flavors of the sauce are the loveliest pairing with seared scallops and shrimp. Your new pasta BFF has arrived!
Pasta and fresh seafood are a match made in heaven. Add white wine pasta sauce to the mix, and you’ll be hard pressed to contain your joy.
This recipe calls for a combination of shrimp and sea scallops, but it’s just as delicious with clams, lobster or mussels. The sauce is reminiscent of a traditional Italian clam sauce – or pasta alle vongole – which is only my favorite thing about Italian cuisine. Beside lasagna bolognese. And white pizza. And cannolis. Also gelato.
Okay, it’s in my top 10 favorite things about Italian cuisine.
BACK TO THE PASTA. The white wine garlic sauce is light and refreshing and deeply savory. So feel free to choose your own seafood adventure for this superstar white wine butter sauce and let the party begin!
Looking for more delicious pasta dishes? Try these superstars next!
- Shrimp Scampi Fettuccine
- Shrimp Rasta Pasta
- Carbone Spicy Vodka Rigatoni
- One-pan Lemon Ricotta Pasta
What you’ll need to make this easy seafood pasta with white wine recipe:
Pasta: the recipe calls for spaghetti, but use whatever you have in your pantry or whichever type of pasta speaks to you when you stroll through the pasta aisle. I do prefer long pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, linguini, bucatini) for this preparation. If choosing angel hair pasta, be cautious about overcooking!
Sea scallops: scallops and shrimp are a delicious combination, but feel free to substitute bay scallops, skip the scallops and use all shrimp, or use your favorite alternate seafood.
Shrimp: generally I like to keep my scallops and shrimp roughly the same size, so if you’re serving large sea scallops, grab large shrimp. Or whatever size shrimp is on sale this week!
Butter: everything’s better with butter! Unless you need a dairy-free recipe. In which case everything’s better with extra virgin olive oil! Which can be substituted for butter in this recipe.
Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil adds complex flavor and viscosity to the sauce.
Fresh garlic: the recipe calls for 6 large cloves of garlic. Please buy whole garlic cloves instead of a jar of already-minced garlic. The freshness and flavor make a difference in a dish with just a handful of simple ingredients! Fresh garlic is best, but if needed, substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Build the sauce, then taste and adjust if more garlic flavor is needed.
Shallots: delicate, sweet onion flavor is a lovely addition to this delicious dish. Substitute sweet yellow onions or leeks, if needed.
White wine: dry white wine works best for wine sauce. Think pinot grigio, chardonnay or sauvignon blanc. Don’t break the bank buying a bottle, but do grab something you would be willing to drink. Again, in a recipe with a short list of ingredients, each ingredient needs to shine!
Lemon zest: all the fresh lemon flavor without the bracing tartness, lemon zest is my favorite way to add freshness to seafood pasta. Serve your pasta with a beautiful lemon wedge to give your guests the power to add a spritz of fresh lemon juice to their seafood.
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes: the only spices you’ll need in this recipe! Chili flakes are optional if you don’t care for heat. Start with a pinch of red pepper flakes and taste and adjust.
Flat leaf parsley: parsley is the traditional herb for this type of white wine garlic pasta sauce in your neighborhood Italian restaurant. I’ve tested it with basil, and while I’m a BIG basil fan, I prefer the fresh Italian parsley. It keeps the entire dish in balance.
Full measurements and directions included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions for Seafood Pasta Recipe with White Wine Garlic Sauce:
Prepare your pasta by cooking in well salted water for about 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Ensure scallops are dry and the side muscle has been removed. Season both sides with salt and a little pepper.
When pan is hot, add sea scallops in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Don’t touch the scallops for about 3 minutes, allowing them to sear well and brown. The scallops will be cooked about 75% of the way through before you turn them. Flip and cook another 90 seconds, until cooked through. Remove them to a plate and tent with foil.
To the same pan add raw shrimp, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes until pink and cooked through. Remove to the same plate as the scallops and leave tented with foil.
To the same pan, add a tablespoon of butter, along with finely diced shallots, garlic cloves, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Sauté until fragrant – about 2-3 minutes.
Add white wine to the skillet and bring to a simmer, cooking long enough to reduce by about half (3-4 minutes). Once reduced, add 1/2 cup of the salted pasta water to the wine sauce, along with 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley and the lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Toss your al dente cooked pasta into the wine sauce and turn the pasta to coat thoroughly and heat pasta.
Add additional pasta water and salt, if needed. Top with scallops and shrimp and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges / slices.
FAQ’s and Serving Suggestions:
Absolutely! It’s tough to find fresh scallops, and I always keep frozen shrimp on hand for quick seafood dishes. I thaw both in the refrigerator overnight, then dry them very well with a paper towel before cooking. For scallops in particular it’s important that the meat is really dry to ensure you can get a good sear.
My go-to sides for seafood pasta are Mediterranean Tossed Salad and Garlic Bread Baguette. Both are superstar sides that will make this an unforgettable spread.
Some people have very strong feelings about cheese and seafood. I’m not one of those people. I have served it both ways (with and without parmesan) and loved them both. The sauce is super flavorful without cheese, but if you can’t resist the siren song of sharp parm, go with God.
To store, transfer pasta to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat leftovers, warm gently over medium-low heat along with a few tablespoons of broth or water. Remove and serve as soon as the seafood is heated through.
Looking for more dinner party dishes? Try these next!
- Mussels with Caramelized Fennel & Shallots
- Sauteed Sea Bass with Herb Butter Sauce
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Pistachio Chimichurri
Seafood Pasta Recipe with White Wine & Garlic Sauce
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti (or pasta shape of your choice)
1/2 pound sea scallops
1/2 pound shrimp
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste
3 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup white wine
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, diced
Instructions
Prepare your pasta by cooking in well salted water for about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Ensure scallops are dry and the side muscle has been removed. Then season both sides with salt and a little pepper. When pan is hot, add sea scallops in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Don’t touch the scallops for about 3 minutes, allowing them to sear well and brown. The scallops will be cooked about 75% of the way through before you turn them. Flip and cook another 90 seconds, until cooked through. Remove them to a plate and tent with foil. To the same pan add your shrimp. Saute for 2-3 minutes until pink and cooked through. Remove to scallop plate and leave tented with foil.
To the same pan, add a tablespoon of butter, along with finely diced shallots, garlic cloves, crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until fragrant – about 2-3 minutes.
Add white wine to the skillet and bring to a simmer, cooking long enough to reduce by about half (3-4 minutes). Once reduced, add 1/2 cup of the salted pasta water to the wine sauce, along with 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley and the lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Toss your al dente pasta into the wine sauce and turn the pasta to coat thoroughly. Add additional pasta water, if needed. Top with scallops and shrimp and garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Keywords: Seafood Pasta with White Wine, Scallops and shrimp pasta, White wine Pasta